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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23991340">korean food and earl grey kisses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletondragon/pseuds/skeletondragon'>skeletondragon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>sambucky coffeeshop au [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, First Dates, Fluff, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:48:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23991340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletondragon/pseuds/skeletondragon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After months of flirting over the countertop of the local cafe, Sam and Bucky finally go out on their first date. </p><p>(an accompaniment to “the barista and the curmudgeon”)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanov &amp; Sam Wilson, Riley &amp; Sam Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>sambucky coffeeshop au [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>korean food and earl grey kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey, remember going outside? Well, if none of us can go to restaurants and ice cream parlors right now because of a pandemic then damn it, I’m going to write about some fictional characters who can. </p><p>I originally intended this fic to be a short companion piece to “the barista and the curmudgeon”, but as per usual my writing got away from me and it ended up nearly as long as the original. It would probably help to read that before this, but it’s not absolutely necessary.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam Wilson was not normally a nervous man. He was well aware that he was a handsome, smart, charming guy, and he had the confidence that went along with it. For the majority of his life, he had managed by diving into any situation headfirst and figuring it out on the fly, whether it was a fight, a job interview, or a date, trusting that his quick thinking and natural suaveness would carry him through.</p><p>But this time was different.</p><p>After literal months of flirting with Bucky over the countertop of the coffee shop he worked at, plus enduring weeks of ribbing from his coworkers Riley and Natasha and one minor misunderstanding involving Bucky’s friend Steve, he’d finally plucked up the courage to ask him out to dinner. Bucky had said yes, and now Sam found himself pacing the length of his apartment trying to burn off his nervous energy before their first date.</p><p><em>It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be fine. He said yes, didn’t he? Be cool, don’t be a dork about this. </em>Sam repeated the words to himself, but they fell flat. He glanced at the clock on the wall, a few minutes still to go before he could head out the door and meet Bucky at the restaurant without being weirdly early. Staring at the clock, the seconds seemed to tick by even more slowly. <em>Oh my god, this is going to be a disaster, this- </em></p><p>A sudden vibration in the pocket of his jeans interrupted his racing thoughts. He pulled out his phone as the screen lit up with a new text from Riley. <em>Good luck with the date! </em>the text read, followed by a gif of a dancing eagle giving a thumbs up. Just as Sam was typing back a response, a text from Nat came in – <em>You’re going to be fine. You’re hot and he’s into you. Remember to wrap it up. </em>Sam rolled his eyes as he read the message, but it was heartening nonetheless. His coworkers had been the Greek chorus to his ridiculous drama with Bucky and they wanted the best for him, no matter how they said it.</p><p>Reading and responding to the texts had given his brain the precious few moments it needed to cool down. Sam looked in his hallway mirror and sized himself up. His jeans were dark and clean, his leather jacket black and shiny, and his beard was newly lined up. <em>You know what, I don’t look half-bad</em>. Sam grinned at himself in the mirror, grabbed his keys, and headed out the door.  </p><hr/><p>Sam parked his car a couple blocks from the restaurant and stepped out to walk the rest of the way. The sun hung low in the sky, the air just beginning to cool. As he walked, Sam glanced inside the windows of the shops he passed, said hello to a few people on the sidewalk, petted a dog with scruffy fur. He tried and mostly succeeded in keeping his mind off the date. He worked best when he had to improvise, so that’s exactly what he planned to do.</p><p>He reached the entrance to the Korean restaurant they had chosen and looked up and down the sidewalk for any sign of Bucky. Sam didn’t see him – <em>between the height, the muscles, and the prosthetic arm you’d think he’d be pretty easy to spot</em> – and a glance at his watch showed that he was right on time. With nothing else to do and resolutely refusing to fidget with his phone, Sam started reading the menu posted on the wall. He had come here a dozen times with his family and with Riley and already had the thing nearly memorized, but it would keep him occupied for the time being.</p><p>Just as he reached the section on soups and stews, he heard a vague shout to his left. He turned and saw Bucky jogging down the sidewalk, one arm waving in the air. <em>The button down is a good look on him. </em>He watched as Bucky continued down the sidewalk towards him, nearly colliding with a couple coming out of a thrift store in his haste to reach Sam. Finally, he stopped in front of him, panting lightly from the sprint and smiling apologetically. “Sam! I’m sorry I’m late, my car’s at the shop so I had to take the bus and it was running behind schedule, I swear I was actually planning on getting here early, I’m sorry.”  </p><p>Sam grinned back at him. “You’re lucky you’re cute, I normally don’t put up with tardiness.” Enjoying the way Bucky’s neck and ears flushed a light pink, Sam opened the door for Bucky with an exaggerated bow. The two walked in and confirmed their reservation with the hostess before being taken in by a waitress.</p><p>The waitress led Bucky and Sam to their seats near the corner of the restaurant, the low lighting shrouding everything in shadow. She poured their water, handed them their menus, and left them to pore over the dizzying array of choices. Now that they were alone, Sam felt the prickling sensation of sweat building on the back of his neck. <em>Don’t overthink this, don’t overthink this, don’t overthink this.</em> He scanned over the menu, already knew what he was getting – he was particularly fond of the restaurant’s <em>samgyeopsal</em>. Riley liked to joke that it was because he was vain enough to prefer any food with his name on it, but Riley could go take a hike.</p><p>Sam glanced up at Bucky and saw him staring down the menu, sounding out unfamiliar syllables to himself in a low voice, his blush fading but still visible in the dim light. Bucky looked up at him and saw that Sam was already looking at him. Sam’s eyes widened at being caught and he hastily looked down at his own menu, the sweat now starting to bead on his neck. <em>Jesus, please say I remembered to put on deodorant</em>.  </p><p>From across the table, Bucky asked with a hesitant voice, “Uh, do you have any recommendations for what to get? I don’t know what any of this is and I’m a bit lost.”</p><p>Sam looked back up at Bucky, both eyebrows slightly raised. “Oh, have you never had Korean food before? I kind of assumed you had.” Sam had suggested the restaurant because it was a reliable favorite of his, and Bucky had agreed so readily that it didn’t occur to Sam that he may have never eaten the cuisine.</p><p>Bucky leaned back in his chair and lightly scratched the back of his head. “No, uh, I don’t have much experience with this sort of stuff.” Sensing the question on the tip of Sam’s tongue, he continued sheepishly, “I was raised on a diet of meat, potatoes, and roast vegetables. The most exotic stuff we had growing up was borscht”. He shifted forward again and shrugged at the quizzical expression on Sam’s face. “It was some old family recipe. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.”</p><p>Several more questions floated to the front of Sam’s mind, but he set them aside for the time being. Instead, he quirked an eyebrow. “Can you handle spicy food at all? I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to continue this if you can’t because I refuse to give up my seasonings”. The words were out of Sam’s mouth before he could think through the implication. <em>Christ, it’s our first date and I’m already telling him to bail? </em></p><p>Luckily for Sam, Bucky cracked a grin at his remark. “Nah, I’ve been building up my spice tolerance for awhile, had an Indian friend in college who took it personally that I couldn’t handle my chili peppers. I actually like it a lot now, just never got around to trying Korean food.”</p><p>Sam nodded sagely. “Well, man, you’re in for a treat. You said you were a meat and potatoes guy, right? If you’ve never had anything Korean, give the <em>bulgogi</em> a try. It’s basically thin pieces of beef that they marinate and grill, most people love it.”</p><p>“Alright, I’ll trust your judgment. What are you getting?” </p><p>“<em>Samgyeopsal. </em>It’s grilled pork belly with sauce and a bunch of other toppings. I get it about half the time I come here.”</p><p>Bucky tilted his head to one side, mouth twitching as though he were holding back another smile. “Do you like it because it’s got your name in it?” His expression was neutral but his voice was tinged with humor.</p><p>This time Sam was the one to lean back, arms crossed, mock outrage on his face. “You know, Riley likes saying the same thing to me. In fact, if you’ll believe it, that has absolutely nothing to do with how much I like it. I’m not that vain!”. With a huff, Sam turned his head to the side, mostly to try and hide the smile threatening to break his grumpy façade.</p><p>Bucky’s head straightened, eyes bright but face still carefully neutral. “You’re a handsome guy, you’ve got a reason to be.” Before Sam could think of a retort, Bucky continued. “Could I try some when it comes?”</p><p>Sam turned his head back to the table. “Sure, it usually comes with enough to share. In fact, I’ll show you how to grill it when it gets here and you can take as much as you want.” He tried to think of a more flirtatious answer, but he was drawing a blank. <em>Damn pretty boy and his pretty eyes distracting me. </em></p><p>“Or you could feed me.” Bucky said. His tone was innocent, but the corner of his mouth quirked up at the sudden bewilderment on Sam’s face. For his part, Sam’s brain was churning, struggling to think of a reply that struck a delicate balance between “Oh hell no, I don’t do that for anybody,” and “Except for you, I’ll absolutely make an exception for you.” Before he could stop it, an image of him leaning close and raising a bite of food to Bucky’s lips popped into his mind’s eye. <em>I think I can feel the steam pouring from my ears. </em></p><p>The waitress reappeared before he had a chance to say anything, clever or not. The pair ordered their food, Bucky messing up his order as his tongue tripped over unfamiliar words. It was endearing. Bucky could pretend to be a smooth operator all he wanted, but he was still the same awkward guy Sam had come to know and like over the past few months. After she took the menus and left, Sam looked over the table and found Bucky’s eyes still sparkling from their earlier conversation. “I’m not feeding you. That’s second date material at best.” he said flatly. The amusement that had been swimming in Bucky’s eyes burst through in a full-throated laugh.</p><hr/><p>After dinner, Bucky dragged Sam to a nearby ice cream parlor. Sam had passed by the shop a few times before but had never stopped in. He felt pretty full after eating his <em>samgyeopsal </em>and swiping a few pieces of Bucky’s <em>bulgogi</em>, but Bucky had given him such a pleading look that Sam felt his resolve crumble as he agreed to go. <em>It’s those baby blues, he’s weaponized them. </em>That being said, at the moment it didn’t feel like a problem. Bucky had slipped his right hand into Sam’s as they had left the restaurant, tugging him in the direction of the ice cream shop. After Sam had acquiesced, he had expected Bucky to drop his hand – <em>in my defense, he doesn’t look like the type of guy who’s into much PDA</em> – but Bucky had kept their fingers interlaced as they walked down the sidewalk and took in the cool air and inky blackness of the night sky.</p><p>Now Sam found himself in line with Bucky, who was carefully reading through every flavor on the menu. Between this menu and the one at the restaurant, Sam was beginning to notice a pattern. <em>He’s really meticulous when it comes to his food, huh. </em> Just as the thought occurred to him, Bucky started speaking. He was still scanning the board as he asked, “What are you getting? I’m probably going to get the lavender earl grey ice cream, haven’t had that one yet.”</p><p>“I should’ve guessed you’ve been here before since you’ve got the world’s biggest sweet tooth. I don’t know what I’m getting, probably chocolate?” Sam didn’t have a particularly large sweet tooth for either his coffee or his ice cream, and chocolate seemed like a perfectly normal, standard choice.</p><p>As soon as the words were out of Sam’s mouth, Bucky tore his eyes from his careful perusal of the menu and looked at Sam with mild shock. “What do you mean ‘I don’t know’?” he said incredulously. “You can’t just walk into a shop like this and go with plain old chocolate!”</p><p>Sam hadn’t been that invested in his choice before, but now he felt mildly offended. “Hey, what’s wrong with chocolate? It’s a perfectly normal flavor to like!”</p><p>The couple in front of them stepped up to the register, and Bucky and Sam moved one step closer to the tubs of ice cream. “Nothing’s <em>wrong </em>with it, but this store is famous for making unique flavors. See, look, they’ve got baklava, cherry merlot, basil and white chocolate, sweet corn jalapeño, strawberry balsamic black pepper, all sorts of weird ones!”</p><p>Sam shrugged. “Hey man, I don’t know what to tell you. It might be boring, but I just like what I like.”</p><p>Bucky lips turned down in a brief pout. Sam’s eyes flitted down to his lips, and he remembered his thoughts at the restaurant. He saw Bucky’s lips move as he started speaking, but it took a few seconds for Sam to come out of his fog and register the words. “They’ve also got a Mayan chocolate flavor, it’s chocolate and red chili mixed together. That sounds like something you’d like?” His clear blue eyes had gone wide and innocent, tentatively waiting on Sam’s approval. Sam didn’t really care one way or the other about the flavor, but he found himself once again falling for Bucky’s puppy dog eyes. <em>Ah, fuck, I’ve got to get better at resisting those or it’s going to be a problem.</em></p><p>Still, Sam wanted to maintain some pretense that he wasn’t giving in without a fight. “Fine, I’ll get it because I know you want to steal some of it from me. But if you’re wrong about how much I’ll like the flavor, you’re buying me an affogato next time you come in for coffee.” Bucky squeezed his hand as the two of them stepped up to the register to order, and despite his words Sam couldn’t find it in himself to be even a little annoyed.</p><hr/><p>Bucky was right about the Mayan chocolate ice cream. It was absolutely fantastic, and as soon as Sam let slip that he was glad he’d gone with it rather than his initial choice, Bucky crowed in triumph.</p><p>“I told you! I mean, I’ll still buy you an affogato if you want it, although I’m not sure what the point is if you’re working there?” The pair had decided to take their ice cream cones and wander aimlessly through a nearby neighborhood, the air having settled from the late-summer warmth into a pleasant coolness. With Bucky’s right hand occupied by his earl grey ice cream, Sam had slipped his right hand into Bucky’s prosthetic left, marveling at the feel of the warm metal underneath his fingertips. <em>Plus, I don’t have to worry if my hands get sweaty. </em></p><p>“It’s the principle of the thing, and besides, I’d make Riley make it. He owes me. I still reserve the right to be judgmental about all those other ice cream flavors, though. Who the hell even thinks of putting balsamic vinaigrette into an ice cream?”</p><p>“Hey! I’ve had that one before, it’s really good!”</p><p>Sam rolled his eyes dramatically. “Oh, now look who’s talking, Mr. “I’m-a-meat-and-potatoes-guy-and-I-never-tried-too-many-exotic-foods”.</p><p>Bucky’s mouth dropped open with indignation. “Just because I haven’t tried Korean food doesn’t mean I have the palate of a caveman. I told you, I’ve been working on expanding my horizons!” He punctuated his last sentence with a waggle of his eyebrows.</p><p>Sam laughed at the ridiculous motion of Bucky’s brows and squeezed his mechanical hand. “You know, I am really glad you liked it. That restaurant is a regular one for me. Riley gets the <em>bulgogi</em> pretty much every time we go there and he loves it.”</p><p>As soon as he said it, a strange expression flickered across Bucky’s eyes before they turned down to the sidewalk. He couldn’t be certain, but Sam thought he felt the metal grip tense slightly in his right hand. Sam analyzed the last few seconds of conversation, trying to see if he’d unwittingly said something awkward. <em>Use your words big boy, come on, what’s that fancy degree you’re getting good for if you don’t know how to talk about your feelings? </em>“Is something wrong? Uh, it’s okay if you really didn’t like it, it’s not like I’m going to be offended or anything. You can tell me.”</p><p>Bucky snorted, the laugh escaping from him before his eyes turned back to look at Sam. “It’s not the food, that was great.”. Gaze darting over Sam’s face, Bucky hesitated before asking in a small voice, “Were you and Riley ever a thing?”</p><p>Sam blinked, his face and thoughts blank at the sudden left turn in the conversation. “Um. That’s a bit of a complicated question. We never dated, no.”</p><p>“But you liked him?”</p><p>Sam sighed and rolled his shoulders. He was an honest guy, but that didn’t always mean the truth was pleasant to tell, and he wasn’t prepared for this conversation. “Yeah, I did. He was my best friend growing up, and he was the first person I came out to. I liked him for years, but I think I always knew in the back of my head that he was straight and that he wouldn’t feel the same way.” Sam shrugged nonchalantly. “It sucked for awhile, but I got over it. He’s still one of the best guys I know, and he’s still my best friend.”</p><p>The two continued their slow pace down the sidewalk for a few minutes. Bucky was lost in thought, and Sam knew from classes and experience that the best thing to do was wait and see what he would say. Finally, Bucky asked, “Did he ever know?” His voice was less quiet than before but still unnervingly distant.</p><p>“What, about me liking him? Oh yeah, he figured that out pretty quick. Riley’s always been a smart cookie, and seventeen-year-old me wasn’t particularly subtle about anything in my life, let alone my giant-ass crush on my best friend.” Sam turned his head up at the sky and chuckled at the memories of being a teenager, silly and stupid and full of unrequited love. “I properly told him about it a few years ago and he told me he’d known for ages, really took the wind out of that confession.” Bucky was silent as they turned another corner. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>Bucky stopped walking, an overhanging tree shrouding them from what little light the streetlamps provided. In the dark, Sam couldn’t quite see the expression on his face, but his voice sounded suddenly tired. “I don’t know, you’ve just mentioned him a few times tonight and I was wondering if any part of this was meant to be for him or whatever, that’s all. It’s not a big deal.”</p><p>For the second time in as many minutes, Sam’s mind was blank with surprise. <em>Okay, time out, we’ve got to get some things straight. </em>He pulled Bucky along so that they were out of the shadows and back under the fluorescent glow of the streetlights. “I just mentioned Riley because he and I really do go there a lot and because he’s such a big part of my life, but right now I don’t want to be here with him, I only want to be here with you.” Bucky gave Sam a sad, small smile that only reached the edges of his eyes. Sam felt something inside him crack, and it was suddenly the most important thing in the world that Bucky understood him. “I’m serious, Bucky. I liked Riley when I was younger, but it was a teenage crush and I’ve been over him for years. You, on the other hand, you’ve been the only guy on my mind for months. I’ve been wanting to go out with you for ages, ever since the first time you got me a drink.”</p><p>Relief flooded through Sam as Bucky’s sad smile lost its edge of melancholy and became tentatively genuine. “Only since then?”</p><p>“What do you mean, ‘only since then’?”</p><p>“You’ve only liked me since after I got you that drink?” Bucky’s smile widened.</p><p>Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. They were back in familiar, flirty territory, but he didn’t want to risk another miscommunication. “I mean, I have eyes. I knew you were the hot guy that I got to ogle every time you came in for those ridiculously sugary drinks you like, but yeah, I think it was probably after that that I was intentionally flirting with you.” A thought struck Sam. “Wait, when did you like me?”</p><p>Bucky paused for a minute, considering the question. “Do you remember that jackass in the grey suit who was insisting you made his drink wrong and that you needed to remake it about three times?”</p><p>“Bucky, I work in a coffee shop. I run into those kinds of people on an unfortunately regular basis. But yeah, I think I remember the guy you’re talking about, why? I also remember you nearly ripping his head off for getting between you and your caffeine.” As a matter of fact, Sam knew exactly which customer Bucky was talking about. The memory of the incident was one of Sam’s favorites from the shop, watching Bucky in all his curmudgeonly glory scowl and threaten that douchebag in his delightfully low tone of voice until the man gave up and left the shop.</p><p>Bucky beamed at Sam and lightly pushed into him with his shoulder. “The caffeine wasn’t the half of it, darling. I remember walking into that shop, seeing him getting too close and yelling at you, and I saw red. You’re lucky he left when he did, I was about ready to pick him up and throw him out of the shop myself.”</p><p><em>Oh, this is new information</em>. The idea that Bucky wasn’t just angry about his lack of coffee but was actually defending Sam cast one of his favorite memories in a new, even more pleasant light. Another laugh burst out from Sam as he remembered the comment he’d heard right after the incident was over. “Nat was right, you really were my knight in shining armor.”</p><hr/><p>As they turned a corner, a question struck Sam. “So, I wanted to ask you something.” Bucky quirked an eyebrow but let him continue. The two had been walking in amiable silence, neither wanting to break the calm reverie that had settled over them. “Yesterday, when I asked you out, you said something like ‘I was wondering if you were ever gonna ask.’ If you were into me, why didn’t you just ask me out? Why the wait?” The question had been swimming in the back of Sam’s mind since yesterday, and with the newest revelation from Bucky, Sam was even more confused.</p><p>Bucky sighed and looked up into the sky and at the clear moon for a beat before looking back at Sam. “Think of it from my perspective – that coffee shop’s where you work, right?”. He waited until Sam nodded, then continued. “You’re obligated to be nice to your customers, unless I suppose they’re being total jerks. I thought it might be creepy if I asked you out somewhere you couldn’t just say no and leave.”</p><p>Sam was taken aback. He appreciated that Bucky had wanted to be a normal, non-creepy person, but he’d gotten so many numbers (and more) from customers over the years that he hadn’t considered that would be the reason for Bucky’s reluctance. “But flirting with me is okay?”</p><p>“You were flirting back!”</p><p>They continued walking around, making light conversation. It wasn’t so different from everything they had talked about in the shop while Sam was on break, but something about being outside those four walls, the cicadas chirping and the taste of the ice cream lingering on their tongues felt enchanting.</p><p>As they passed near the edge of a local park, they went to sit on nearby bench and Sam decided to tell Bucky about his misunderstanding with Steve. After he told him, Bucky threw back his head and laughed for a solid few minutes. Sam would have been annoyed at being laughed at if he didn’t feel that familiar sense of achievement from making Bucky smile. <em>It helps that he looks so good</em>, Sam though, admiring the lines of Bucky’s face as it was filled with mirth.</p><p>Wiping away a tear from his eye, Bucky said, “You seriously thought I was into Stevie?”</p><p>“Hey! It took me like four months to get a smile out of you and then you waltz in with the human version of a golden retriever all goofy and laughing, what else was I supposed to assume?” Sam wanted to point out that not even an hour earlier, Bucky had a similar misunderstanding between him and Riley, but he held his tongue. They had struck a delicate balance and Sam was loathe to disrupt that, and besides, he knew the situations were different enough that it wasn’t worth the teasing.</p><p>“I spent months buying you drinks and flirting with you over that countertop and I can’t believe it nearly got wrecked by coming in with my best friend.” Bucky shook his head and chuckled to himself. “The human version of a golden retriever, though, I like that. You’re not wrong.”</p><p>They both lapsed into silence. Sam didn’t say anything, content just to sit in the quietness of the moment. The cicadas continued their chirping. Bucky looked over at him, eyes meandering from his eyes to his cheeks to his lips. A small smile played over Bucky’s mouth, happier than the one before, the light of the street lamps casting a luminous glow on his face. Sam admired the image before pushing any misgivings aside and coming close to Bucky. He leaned in slowly, the daring from earlier in the evening lessened by his nerves. He paused for a moment before their lips touched, staring at Bucky’s eyes from a few millimeters away. They seemed somehow impossibly brighter. <em>It’s those goddamn baby blues. </em>Sam wasn’t sure if he saw or felt Bucky’s faint nod, but he moved against him, pushing his lips along Bucky’s. It was a quick kiss. Bucky tasted like the lavender and earl grey he had earlier, and Sam vaguely wondered if he tasted of chocolate. He pulled back to gauge Bucky’s reaction, and Bucky grinned broadly before pushing himself further into Sam’s space, crowding him at the end of the bench. He caught Sam’s lips with his own, shifting to press along Sam’s, their bodies connected from shoulder to toe.</p><p>The two of them stayed that way for some time, going back and forth, before Sam broke off and backed away slightly. He held Bucky’s head in his hands and flashed him an exuberant smile. “Oh man, this was worth it, this was so totally worth it,” the words spilling forth without an ounce of thought. Bucky stayed silent, choosing instead to rest his head along the crook of Sam’s shoulder and nod in agreement.</p><p>Finally, some indeterminable amount of time later, Bucky moved off Sam’s shoulder. Sam stood up from the bench and offered his hand to Bucky. “My car’s parked a couple blocks away, if you don’t want to take the bus back.” Bucky brushed off some nonexistent dirt from his jeans and took Sam’s hand, leveraging himself off the bench.</p><p>“Oh, yeah, that would be great, thank you.”</p><p>The two of them walked for a block or so before Sam spoke up again. “Or, you know, I live pretty close by, we could always go back to my apartment.” Bucky’s eyebrows shot up, and Sam bit his cheeks to not laugh at his surprised expression. “Is that a yes?” Bucky nodded once, twice, three times, and Sam grinned as the two of them held hands and walked back to his car, the late summer breeze swirling through the air and the sound of the cicadas floating into the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The ice cream flavors mentioned here are all real flavors offered by an ice cream shop in my hometown, and the ones I’ve tried (including the sweet corn!) are all great.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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